


Unwillingly Aquired

by Zuzanny



Category: Original - Fandom
Genre: Human trafficing, M/M, Misunderstandings, Mpreg, Mystery, PSTD, Sci/fi, Space Station, Xenophilia, cultural misunderstanding, references to non-con
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-28
Updated: 2018-01-28
Packaged: 2019-03-10 12:43:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 8
Words: 21,341
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13501882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zuzanny/pseuds/Zuzanny
Summary: Five years after the end of interplanitary war, the Kusai, neutral during the war, have entered negociations with humans. Kusai is rich in resouces, which humans want and are willing to give anything for. The Kusai Ambassador has no interest in anything the humans have... except Chris Spencer, a former fighter pilot during the war. Chris rejects this duty, goes AWOL. slash/NC/MPREG





	1. Chapter 1

27/01/2013- 24/09/2013

Unwillingly Acquired

by Zuzanny

part 1

(InsertLineBreakHere)

It was a beautiful cycle to be walking about the space colony. The atmosphere was turned up just slightly in the garden decks, and the blast shields tint was angled just enough to let the closest star dazzle the area with the natural light of Home World at noon. The gentle trickle of water falling over rocks was soothing, and the air was scented by the plants opening their flowers for the sunshine.

Eliot Green sat on the bench amongst the trees and tilted his face up into the sun-like light, smiling and feeling peaceful for the first time in weeks... until his com unit went off, and all his serenity was shattered. With a grimace he pulled the tiny thing from his pocket and glared at the screen. "What?" He demanded. The face of one of the admin greeted him with a bored smile.

"Good afternoon Sargent Green," the non-gender-specific voice piped up. "I apologise for interrupting your day off, but you are required back at the precinct ASAP."

"What the hell for?" Green snapped, tempted to throw the com unit hard enough to smash.

The admin smiled blandly at him. "I am not privy to such details, just passing on the message."

He cursed loudly and disconnected the line.

Time for Sargent Green to get back to work.

(InsertLineBreakHere)

Sargent Green knocked petulantly on the interview room door. "Enter." came a firm voice from inside. He opened the door to do so, and found two men and a woman seated behind the dark polished desk opposite him, all wearing suits that screamed INTERNAL INVERSTIGATIONS. Confused, and mentally examining his own life to try and figure out what he had done wrong, Green closed the door behind himself and sat in the chair indicated by the central man. Each of them had their own data pad, the two outer ones absorbed in what ever was on theirs, barely acknowledging Green's presence, the guy in the middle had his on the desk, watching Green from behind steepled fingers.

"Thank you for coming so soon." The middle man said not quite pleasantly, yet without hostility as well.

"No problem." Green grunted in reply. "What is this about?"

The middle man blinked slowly, pausing before he spoke. "I am Connor McMerideth," he introduced himself. "my colleagues and I are here to investigate a situation between a team mate of yours and Ambassador Zoaxll from the Kusai empire."

Green almost forgot to cover his amusement that came when ever he heard that name, especially since his Japanese speaking team mate had told everyone about it meaning "smelly" where he came from. But Green did wipe the smile away seeing this Connor McMerideth's displeased expression. "What situation?"

"Perhaps we should explain that we are not here to persecute Officer Spencer, just to investigate the facts." The woman piped up. Green's eyes widened and he leaned forward.

"Chris?" He asked, his voice raising an octave with disbelief and concern. "What do you mean?"

The three exchanged glances for a few moments before Connor continued. "What can you tell me about Officer Spencer? Are you friends?"

"Tell me what's going on first. Is Chris ok? Has he been in an accident or something?"

"Please answer the question." The woman spoke up again. "We can't give you details of the situation. Please just answer truthfully."

Green leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms. "We aren't super close, so I don't know if I can help you with any thing. I don't know of anyone who IS close to Chris, but he's a good kid. If he's in trouble I can guarantee it's not his fault."

"Please answer the questions."

"So ask me some damned questions then!"

"Have you noticed any changes in Officer Spencer's behaviours recently? In the last week?" The second man asked that.

Green eyed them suspiciously. "I'm not sure what you mean."

The men both looked annoyed. "Anything unusual about him?"

"He's always been unusual so you'll have to be more specific than that."

"What CAN you tell us about him then?" Connor sounded like he was loosing his patience.

Green tilted his head to the side and thought about it.

"We don't want to harm him," the woman reminded. "we just want to know the truth."

Green sighed. "Chris is always a real serious kid. Very straight laced, doesn't party, doesn't drink or do spacers or anything like that. He doesn't even come out with the guys after work. He's always focused on being in top condition and doing his job to the best of his ability. He does a damned good job too, so don't you dare forget that. Not a day goes by I don't get comments from the general staff that they feel safer when he's on duty because they know he'll protect them."

"Does he have a girlfriend?" Connor asked. "Any relationships?"

"Hell if I know! He doesn't seem all that interested in anyone that way. He's never mentioned family. I don't think he even HAS next of kin listed on his file except for the boss."

The woman made some notes on her data pad. "Please continue."

Green continued to eye her suspiciously. "...Chris can be counted on to do the right thing. He's never been late for work, or had any days off." Green turned to Connor. "Is that what this is about? His being off work sick for the last few days? Has he caught some bug from hanging around the Kusai's?"

They frowned at him again, but Green just raised an eye brow, waiting. They didn't comment on any political in-correctness.

"How did he react to the news that negotiations with the Kusai's would be held here?"

"I don't know." Green shrugged. "Business as usual really. We get hired to do a job, not much choice in who the clients are. That's just the way it is."

"Did he seem... excited to be there?" The woman asked.

Again Green shrugged. "I don't think he is able to be excited over anything really." Then Green paused as he remembered something. "Come to think of it, he did get kind of antsy when the Ambassador arrived. I thought it must be to do with first time seeing aliens or something."

"Antsy? How?"

"I don't know. Just... obviously uncomfortable being there. Especially after the Ambassador came up and spoke to him before the negotiations started."

"Do you know what the ambassador said?"

"No bloody clue. The guy spoke our language perfectly the entire time apart from that. He must have had bad breath though, Chris looked like he was going to puke right then and there. But he didn't, even with the Ambassador looking at him the entire time."

"What about after the meeting?" Connor asked. "How was Officer Spencer then?"

"He went straight to the boss then left. I've been on different rotations since, but I heard Chris had called in sick the next day. Did the Kusai breath poison him?"

"I'm afraid we can't give you any details. That is enough for now. Thank you for your time Sargent Green. If we need you again we will call for you."

Thinking that the entire meeting had been a huge waste of his day off, Green went to leave.

"One last thing," the second man called. "how did your team react to having a former fighter pilot on board?"

"What are you talking about?" Green actually laughed with incredibility. "Chris? A fighter pilot? You have got to be kidding! If he has one flaw it's his fear of heights."

"Thank you for your time."

So dismissed, Green closed the door behind himself and marched off to the quarters of his fellow team mates, wondering what the hell must have happened that he hadn't heard about yet, and why the hell his team hadn't told him. His mind boggled at the thought that Chris could have been a fighter pilot. He remembered the time a couple years ago when they had been guarding the workers constructing the Sentinel Bridge, and the horror filled expression over the kid's face when Chris had gotten close enough to the edge to actually look down the couple hundred miles or so. It had taken a few moments of waving hands in front of Chris' bloodless face to get his eyes to refocus and bring him out of it. Once Chris had stopped shaking and was breathing normally again, he quietly confided that he didn't like heights, especially falling from them.

Seriously, how could the kid have been a fighter pilot if he froze up like that?

(InsertLineBreakHere)

Connor looked at his two companions waiting until he was sure that Sargent Green was well away before he spoke. "Tell me what we have." The others scanned through their data.

"Officer Chris Spencer was employed as a guard with the force three years ago next month." The other man read out. "He passed all his training with top marks, and has had an exemplary record since then. He had perfect attendance until five days ago when he reported unwell."

"He is well liked," The woman added. "but he is not sociable outside work time. He is known to be straight and narrow, firm but fair, and extremely professional. He has no family and no know relationships out side of work. His movements include traversing from home to work and back again. He does not go to the shopping district outside of work related duties. He grows his own food hydroponically, is a vegetarian, and is known for only eating food or drinking what he has prepared himself. Some of his work mates commented about him being paranoid, but refusing to discuss any reasons with them."

"Some work mates have stated he always wears the Second Skin Body Armour." the second man jumped in. "Highly advance edition. They have never seen him without it on. This has earned him the nick name of "the knight". Because of the armour, they have no knowledge of any scars, markings or tattoos; and although he has been shot or stabbed multiple times, the body armour has prevented all injuries."

This woman joined in again. "He is highly sensitive to his personal space, and does not like people entering uninvited. To quote Officer Kazashi, "He goes ninja on your arse". His medical records show that he has been in perfect health however..." She paused as she scanned through more data and files. "there is a section of his records that have been sealed."

That definitely caught Connor's attention. "Why is that, I wonder?"

"It appears..." the woman flicked through more screens on her data pad. "that the last two years of the war... are sealed. It almost looks like he disappeared from the war, then reappeared two years later."

"I am concerned that his team mates didn't know he was a fighter pilot before becoming a guard here." The second man said. "He should be proud of his skill set. There is nothing in his medical records indicating he is unable to keep flying."

Connor rubbed his chin for a few moments, thinking. "So why did he turn his back on being a fighter pilot?"

"Perhaps it really is as simple as being afraid of heights?" the other man suggested. "If so, it would be no wonder he wouldn't want his team mates to know. It would be a major embarrassment, and he would be subject to ridicule."

"So he became a member of the Guard because of acrophobia?" Connor did not sound convinced. "Get some therapy."

"I think we are getting off track here." the woman brought their attention back to the data. "All reports show that Officer Spencer is a professional and extremely talented young man who went out of his way to avoid forming attachments. Why then, would he volunteer for this job? DID he volunteer?"

"The boss said that they had been looking for someone who could translate if needed, and Officer Spencer's name was already on the list."

Connor perked up at that. "So if this was the first time he had ever met these aliens... when and where did he learn the language?"

"And with no relationships or attachments," the woman added, "where is he hiding?"

(InsertLineBreakHere)

Sargent Green stormed into the squad room, slamming the door behind him. Everyone stopped what they were doing to look at him and the racket he was making.

"Alright!" He yelled out to everyone in general. "One of you lousy sods better tell me what is going on this instant, and why I was called in – ON MY DAY OFF- to talk to some bloody investigators about Officer Spencer! What the HELL is going on?"

One of the closer new recruits hedged cautiously up to him. "Didn't you see the news this morning?"

"No." Green snapped. "I was sleeping. And the investigators refused to tell me anything."

Kazashi then came over and indicated Green follow him into an empty room that was shielded for privacy and regularly screened for bugs. "We've all been interviewed." he said in his calm and quiet way, but his eyes held a look that Green had never thought would ever be present on this particular young man's face. "I don't know why they wouldn't tell you since it's already been on the news. Spencer's gone missing."

"What?!" Green sat down hard, thinking back over the questions he'd just been asked, and the different meanings that could have come from them. "Why didn't they say so?"

"This morning when Spencer didn't turn up for work again, he didn't call in." Green's eyes went wide with alarm, Kazashi nodded in agreement. "When he didn't answer any calls, I knew that something was wrong. So I went to check on him." Green nodded, indicating for Kazashi to continue. "We had to break in, and well, knowing Chris, that was freaking hard to do."

Green had a terrible, sinking feeling, and sunk into a chair to support himself. "What did you find?" He whispered, imagining all sorts of blood-filled scenarios.

Kazashi frowned. "The place had been trashed, like there had been a major fight in there or someone had been serious in trying to find something. Stuff smashed, thrown about everywhere. Plants were ripped out of their pots or smashed. Spencer's such a neat freak normally, I don't care what anyone says. It wasn't normal." Kazashi took in a deep breath. "I have no idea if any of his stuff was missing though, he only let me in that one time before."

"So how did someone break in? Why did the investigators say there was a situation with the Ambassador?"

Kazashi turned knowing eyes up at Green. "There are some very suspicious looking scratches on the Ambassador's face this morning, which he says he got from a "hell cat". He denies any connection to his disappearance, of course, but..."

"Is Zoaxll accusing Chris of attacking him?" Green wondered what political advantage such an accusation would give the Kusai, and what motive Spencer would have had for doing so.

"No," Kazashi's eyes flashed with something Green had never soon before. "but he sure is showing a lot more interest in having Spencer found than is healthy. Or normal for an ordinary ambassador - to – guard scenario."

"That is weird. Hey, did those investigators ask you about him being a fighter pilot during the war?" Kazashi inclined his head in a slow yes. Green almost laughed over the idea again, but saw how serious Kazashi was. "No way!" Green felt like his eyes wanted to pop out of his head. "Since when?"

"Remember that kid he talked down from the com tower a few months back?" Green nodded his head in memory of the teen that had for what ever reason decided that it would be better for him to jump from the top of the com tower than to go home to his family that night. "Yeah, well, while we were up there, he talked about having been one to the kid, and how he had loved flying. And that the last time he flew he ended up in a fall higher than the kid's was going to be and it hadn't ended well for him. That sure had surprised the hell out of me. I thought he had just been spinning a yarn to get the kid down, and thought nothing more of it until they asked me today."

"What did you tell them?"

"Nothing. We all have things we don't want to talk about. It's not my business if Chris is actually some kind of cyborg or something. It's not like that's illegal. Could explain why he's always wearing that armour though. His tech is highly advanced if he is one."

Green imagined Chris actually being nothing more than a head on a robot body. Current cyborg tech was nowhere near as streamlined and movable as him though. It was still chunky and clumsy. What if Chris really WAS just a head on a robot body? Would anyone really want a life like that? Would that even BE a life? Green didn't think so.

"Could also explain why the Kusai's are so interested in finding him. Advanced cyborg tech is hard to come by, and his looks to be one of a kind. But rumour has it the Kusai's have all the raw materials needed to make it a huge industry, they just need the specks. Imagine all those people missing limbs that could have lives again? Start contributing to society again?"

"They either would need the guy who build Chris' body, or Chris himself as a blue print."

to be continued...


	2. Chapter 2

24/09/13 - 26/12/13

Unwillingly Acquired

By Zuzanny

Part 2

Everything had been running smoothly until the Kusai ambassador entered the room, flanked by six of his own guards and officials. The Kusai were each tall, slender and humanoid. Their whole bodies shared some kind of resemblance to an insect yet retained enough similarities to be able to pass as human. The guards each wore dark green that shimmered in the light and very much resembled either armour or an exoskeleton. Their fingers were each gloved with jaggard edges like the spikes on the claws of a praying mantice. The ambassador was in splendid deep blue that shone iridescent as he moved. Their faces all were pointed and sharp and pale, but apart from their blue/green eyes, which were large and spaced so that they could see in different directions through their specialised pupils, they looked very human.

Chris Spencer stood stiffly beside and slightly behind the nameless representative he had been designated to and employed to protect, just watching as the Kusai party were greeted with smiles, hand shakes and media flashes. Such excitement all around as the two parties converged to negotiate the treaty.

And then HE entered.

Chris thought he was fine, that he had escaped all notice... But that was not to be. The large, blue, other-worldly eyes of ambassador Zoaxll landed upon him, pinning him in place. Those eyes widened slightly at first, then slowly slid appraisingly up and down his form before returning to his eyes and and staying there, his mouth twisting into a smug line of a smile. Chris sucked in a panicked breath, his heart suddenly speeding up so fast that he actually felt he may faint. He found himself backing away in a panic, but Zoaxll did not get further away, instead he got closer because he was weaving through the crowd to follow him. Suddenly Chris' back was against the wall and Zoaxll was right there in front of him, leaning far too close into his personal space. Chris stared helplessly into those swirling, terrifyingly familiar eyes as the ambassador reached out, gently caressing Chris' cheek with the back of his fingers before twirling his blond locks around the tips. Zoaxll clamped that hand down upon Chris' shoulder, and leaned closer and closer. Chris couldn't breath with the panic that sent his heart zooming so fast that his sight actually started to shimmer in preparation to faint. But when Zoaxll whispered his poisonous words into Chris' ear, rage flooded his mind replacing the panic. Chris lashed out with a cry, and punched the ambassador as hard as he could directly in that pointy face. Zoaxll's finger-blades slashed the fabric of Chris' shoulder as he stumbled backwards a few paces, revealing the black second skin armour beneath it. People cried out and yelled, but Chris couldn't care less, he clenched his fists at his side and glared as hard as he could at the ambassador who was brushing off all insult or offence with a laugh. The humans were launching into damage control, making excuses about how it was Chris' first time seeing aliens, and please don't judge all humans purely on Chris' example, blah blah blah. Chris didn't care. Zoaxll's words repeated over and over in his head, and it was too much. Zoaxll was all smiles and understanding and adjusted his clothes, eyes pinned to Chris the entire time. Chris shook with fury, fists clenched at his sides, and only just held back his desire to commit murder. The knowing smiles on the faces of Zoaxll's guards in passing as they escorted the ambassador into the room for negotiations told him all he needed to know, and he swallowed back the vomit he could feel rising.

Once the ornate doors closed behind the political parties, Chris felt his knees go weak and he had to use the wall as support to stop himself sliding the the floor.

"What's gotten into you, man?" Kazashi hissed at him.

Chris jerked, not having even noticed his approach above the buzzing in his ears. Media flashes were still going off, and people were crowding in. Chris raised one arm over his head as through to deflect a blow, and looked around himself wildly for escape, not even hearing what was being said to him.

"The boss won't like that you punched the ambassador of another planet. What the hell was that about anyway? You're not usually one for this sort of squeamishness."

"I got to get out of here." Chris pushed off from the wall and started shoving his way through the crowds. He slapped off Kazashi's hand on his arm, and ran out the door into the light beyond.

"Well, shit." Kazashi ran a hand through his dark hair amidst the media flashes and question calling, then turned back as Green came up to call the rest of their team into the negotiating room.

"What's wrong with Spencer?" Green asked. "He looks like he's gonna vomit."

"Dunno. But I doubt he'll have a job at the end of the day."

"Do you think this will effect the negotiations?"

"Probably. I am so not looking forward to reporting any of this."

It wasn't until Chris Spencer had not returned from several days of "sick leave" (which Kazashi had figured was actually related to politics rather than health), and the sudden arrival of Government Operatives LOOKING for him, that Kazashi realised that there was something seriously wrong.

to be continued...


	3. Chapter 3

This entire story is an original work by me. Thank you for reading.

28/12/2013

Unwillingly Acquired  
By zuzanny  
Part 3/?

-*-Ambassador Zoaxll sighed to himself and adjusted his gloves once more, completely bored with the monotonous view of stars that had been surrounding their ship for hours and hours on end. Not even the sparkling flashes of colours that lit up the space station before them relieved the boredom. He had read over and over the proposed documents, both in his own native tongue and the human one that he had spent so much time in learning, and even the thought of practicing with real humans didn't lighten his mood.

"How do you think they breath in there?" Tonjil, the youngest of their group asked from his spot staring out the window at the Human-made technological monstrosity. It really was ugly to look at, Zoaxll thought to himself. Nothing like the graceful beauties his own people created.

"Who knows?" Pondan responded from his seat directly across from the window.

Pondan was of the same generation as Zoaxll's Rare Royal Mother the Queen, but was a soldier drone like the rest of the group. Pondan had officially been sent to guard Zoaxll from "those strange, yet marvellous creatures" (as his Mother had said), but also to unofficially report back to her on the negotiations. Her Royal Majesty didn't care much for what Zoaxll did, as long as there would be more Royal Children on the way before she finally ended her reign. "One princess is not enough! What if she were to get sick and die? Or if a neighbouring hive invades while you are away and steals her away from us? What are all these rocks they desire to us? As far as I am concerned, they can have them all! As long as they give us what we want in return." Zoaxll knew she was right, but... His mate was gone long ago. He doubted finding another would be even possible. Just like he doubted there was anything these Humans had on that thing they lived in that would interest him in any way.

"Perhaps they have no need to breath." Tonji continued to speak his thoughts out loud.

"Of course they breath!" Pondan scolded the young soldier drone. "Use your brain!"

"They use plant-life, just as we do." Zoaxll said. Tonji and Pondan both turned towards him with surprise.

"Really? Do you think they have any Illi blossoms in there?" Tonji's eyes lit up with excitement.

"No." Zoaxll said with finality that wiped the excitement from the young one's face. "They have not had the opportunity to take any from our world."

Pondan said nothing, which Zoaxll was thankful for.

"Oh." Tonji lowered his head sadly. "The air will taste bad without any."

"Yes." Zoaxll said, his tone enough to signal an end to the discussion. Tonji continued to stare at the constructed blob of metal and changing lights they were approaching. Pondan watched Zoaxll, and Zoaxll turned away to ignore them both. He adjusted his gloves again, and sighed. He turned his hands palm side up and flexed his fingers, watching the light glint off the ceremonial blades imbedded there. They were sharp, very sharp, perfect for ceremonial fighting and defence. They could slice through almost anything. Most of his people still thought they COULD cut through anything, but Zoaxll knew better. Once again his thoughts drifted to his mate, and the day they first met, and the black body armour that was the first and only substance that had deflected his blades.

His mate had fallen from the sky in a ball of fire, and had survived. Like an Angel, really, Beautiful and strong in spirit. A warrior. Others had fallen too, like meteors, but they had been demons that his Angel had been fighting and continued to fight on land. He had discovered his mate some time after they had all landed. Zoaxll and his soldier drones had been sent to investigate these objects fallen from the heavens, and had tracked them to a tiny village deep in the jungle-lands. It had taken them many days to get there. It was a wild place, with ferocious wild beasts and bandits alike, and where the most precious beings in the world still sprung to life: children.

Zoaxll had found the rotting remains of a giant Djrondjron, that even half devoured by it's own kind and what ever other carrion eaters dwelled in this place, obviously had wounds from weapons unlike any he had seen before. Close by he had found the tracks and markings that had told him the Djrondjron had been pursuing some children, before it had itself been attacked and killed by this new, strange creature. There were broken tree trunks where something had been slammed hard, the new creature perhaps? This new creature had then traveled with the children. Zoaxll and his group had followed their tracks into the village.

They had arrived in time to witness the stand off between the Angel -slender and black and furious - and four demons from their neighbouring planet, Taos-nin. The T-nin's had two children in their grips, a blade to each throat. The terrified villagers hung behind the angel, begging and crying out for the children to be released un-harmed.

"Let the children go NOW!" The angel had demanded, pointing a weapon Zoaxll had never seen before at them. The T-nin's all bared their fangs and claws at the angel, laughing wickedly, and spitting black muck.

"Drop your weapons and surrender to us first!" the leader of the T-nin's demanded back, while the children both refused to let the angel do so.

"I will do so," the angel called out, bringing everyone to silence. "But know that i have given a weapon to the leader of this village, and if you harm those children in anyway, you will die."

Again the T-nin's laughed. "Come then!" The leader ordered with a toss of his ugly head.

The angel tossed the weapon to the ground, and approached the T-nin's with arms out to the side and head held high. When the angel was within stabbing range, the children were flung away and allowed to run back to their families. The T-nin's had then converged around the angel, and together they left the sight of the villagers and moved deeper into the jungle. Zoaxll and his drones marched up to the villagers who were still terrified and shaken. When he identified himself to the clan leader, Both children tore the selves out of the holds of their parents and flung themselves at his feet.

"Your majesty, please!" They begged with tears in their eyes. "Please save Koorisu from the demons! Please! Koorisu is our friend!"

Zoaxll had knelt at the same level as those little ones and promised that he would.

But Koorisu hadn't needed any help being rescued from the demons, for only moments later that black clad angel re-emerged from the jungle, alone. The children's eyes lit up at the sight of the angel, and they ran, yelling out their delighted greetings, along with other villagers. Koorisu also knelt at the level of the children, and placed a hand on a shoulder of each child. "Don't worry about them any more." This time it was a gentle whisper.

"Are they like the Djrondjron?" One of the children asked.

Koorisu's head inclined in a yes, and all the villagers cheered. "Now go play. Some where safe."

"We will!" The children sprang forward to embrace Koorisu in a hug, before bounding off, leaving the angel kneeling amidst grateful villagers. Zoaxll stepped forward to meet the angel formally, and froze in place when Koorisu reached up to remove the black shell that was the headpiece of the body armour, revealing golden hair that shone in the sunlight and swayed in the breeze, and eyes the deepest blue of the skies. Zoaxll felt like something had kicked him in the chest at the sight of such beauty.

"My Royal majesty!" The village elder excitedly drew him closer to the angel. " we welcome you to our humble village and ask permission to present this visitor to you."

"of course." Zoaxll had breathed out, watching as the angel slowly stood and turned to face him, one arm held across the lower chest protectively. He could see that the angel was gasping for breath, and had started to sway.

The village elder had not noticed. "Your Royal majesty, may I present our guest who fell from the sky several days ago, and who has already been acting as guardian to our children by slaying an attacking djrondjron, as well as fighting off bandits and demons both. Our guest, Koorisu-"

Koorisu's vibrant blue eyes met Zoaxll's for what seemed like an eternity but what was really only a moment, before they turned upwards towards the sky, and then Koorisu was falling, falling, falling... Into Zoaxll's awaiting arms.

Zoaxll smiled to himself as he remembered the soft, warm, velvety feel of the pale skin under that body armour. Of course he had not been able to feel it right away. The body armour would not come off, no matter what he tried, and the angel obviously had an injury under it that could not be reached. It had frustrated him that he was unable to help this beautiful creature, and he was determined to stay right there beside the angel no matter what.

He had carried the angel in his arms into the dwelling that also housed the children. Koorisu had been staying there, and now Zoaxll laid the angel there and sat down to wait while the village healers ran about trying to work miracles. Koorisu was still alive, if that loud breathing was any indication, but it wasn't until the children came barging back in that those blue, pain filled eyes opened again, disorientation clearly present.

"You need to take your armour off." One of the children managed to catch koorisu's wandering gaze and hold it. "You've been hurt." They turned to Zoaxll. "The armour is magic. It won't come off with out permission."

"Hull integrity breached," Koorisu mumbled. "Systems vulnerable. Mayday. Translations-". Then koorisu was coughing and making pained, gasping noises. "Priority!"

Zoaxll reached across to tap the pale angel face, until the rolling eyes focussed back upon his. "Hey, angel. You're in pain. I want to help you."

"Broken ribs." Koorisu gasped. "Mayday. Shields down. Energy to... Systems... Lost... Priority... Uhn..."

"I won't hurt you. You're safe. Let me help you."

Koorisu peered up into Zoaxll's eyes, breathing heavily for some moments. "Mmmnf..." Koorisu agreed, and then the armour slid away from the pale body underneath, vanishing like it really was magic after all. Zoaxll put any thoughts aside except for those on healing the angel lying naked before him. Several of Koorisu's ribs were indeed broken, and Koorisu faded in and out of consciousness for days with the assistance of some very strong pain killers that Zoaxll administered regularly. When Koorisu was well enough to travel, Zoaxll took the dazed and drugged angel back to the capital city with him.

It wasn't long after that, Zoaxll claimed Koorisu as his mate.

(Insertlinebreakhere)

There was nothing that could awaken Zoaxll's desires as much as those eyes had, especially when lit with the inner fire of fury. Their Rare Royal Daughter shared his mate's colourings, which was both a delight to behold, and painful reminder of what had been lost. She was currently guarded even more closely than his Royal Mother, which was fitting, considering how tiny she still was. He wandered what his mate would think of their child?

"I named her Angel," Zoaxll whispered to himself. "After you."

Again he sighed, looking up as his crew began preparing to dock at the space station's busy port. His eyes reflected the flashing red, orange and blue lights of the docking bay as their ship slid smoothly where directed. There were humans out there, running about, doing what ever it is they did in this kind of hive... But he didn't care really.

Nothing at all interested him here.

Seriously, what did these humans think they could possibly offer him?

(insertlinebreakhere)

Zoaxll had been shocked to see that face again after so long of desiring and dreaming, but so very delighted. This. This was worth everything. His angel had thought they would never meet again, he could tell.Koorisu, his angel, Chris, retreated as he approached, but no matter, Zoaxll chased him as far as he could go, reaching out to touch that golden hair that had grown long enough to twirl around his fingertips. Zoaxll lay a hand upon his angel's shoulder, and could feel the tremors of that slender body. He remembered this body trembling for other reasons, pressed and arched beneath him, and the noises his beloved angel made. He was determined that he would hear them again very soon.

Zoaxll leaned in to whisper, to press his aching body against the one he desired most. "There is nothing Your people have that is worth anything to me. The only way i will agree to this treaty is with you in my bed every night."

The resulting fury had been delicious.

Even more so when the human ambassadors had proven agreeable to his terms.

(To be continued...)


	4. Chapter 4

01/2014  
Unwillingly acquired  
By zuzanny  
Part 04

(Insertlinebreakhere)"I'm really very sorry!" Chris groaned to his Boss over the com unit, while seated in a locked toilet cubical in the government building. "I don't know how I could have caught such a stomach flu, the only water I drank was from a bottle supplied by the embassy!"

Over the line, his Boss sighed loudly with frustration. "There is nothing for it. We can't risk exposing the ambassadors to infection. I can just imagine the political problems that would come from that. Go home. See that you visit the clinic. Let me know how you are in a couple of days."

"Thank you sir! Sorry sir! Got to go!" He made some noises like he was about to vomit, and the boss hung up leaving the line beeping. Chris decisively snapped his unit closed and stood up, readjusting his clothes. He dropped the com unit into the bowl, and leaned his forehead against the wall, watching as it was sucked away. "Goodbye sir." He whispered.

(Insertlinebreakhere)

Chris knew he couldn't go home. He had no idea if they already knew where he lived, but he understood how desperate the resource situation back on the Home World really was. If they didn't know where he lived now, they very soon would. There was no way his government would hold his value as a citizen above the potential those resources would bring in for them. His only chance was to get out NOW. But where could he go? Who could he turn to? He desperately wanted to douse himself in boiling waters and scrub his skin raw with all the memories that had come flooding back when Zoaxll had appeared and spoken to him, but knew that was not an option. Even now the sensations of past fingers running over his body ghosted over him, making his hair stand on end and stomach lurch. He fought to shake the sensations and memories off, forcing them back into the box in the back of his mind where they belonged. He clenched his jaw and straightened his spine. He would overcome this, just he he always did. He would not give up. He would not go back.

First thing, he must not stand out, must not be noticeable. That was enough to slow his pace to a brisk walk as he reached the entrance way to the government offices, and took off his uniform jacket. He slung it over his shoulder, hiding the slashed fabric, Then calmly as possible -with a pounding heart that wanted to jump out of his throat - he pushed opened the doors in front of him and strolled out onto the street. He ignored the media that were still out there, waiting to pounce on someone important. They ignored him as well, since he was not one of the ambassadors, he was just a backstage hand in their minds. Invisible. Just what he needed.

Chris walked several section blocks away from the government offices, avoiding any eye contact with fellow pedestrians as they passed, and headed directly for the closest Netcafe. His heart was still pounding when he sat in one of the plastic chairs in front of an available tabletop display for public net usage. A bored looking teen in the tan cafe uniform and cap took his order for coffee and after returning with the recyclable takeaway cup, let him swipe his card in the portable reader and then turned back to serve others. He smiled at her, but she barely noticed. Her eyes had slid over and away from him the moment the transaction was complete, just how he wanted it. That almost made him smile more.

Chris left the cup of coffee on the table top while he swiped his black-gloved fingers over the display in front of him. Chris had never been much of a DigLit-er, unlike some of the Questionables he had encountered over the last couple of years here, but he hoped that his current efforts would be enough to buy some time to figure out what he could do next. He accessed the booking schedules for every transport leaving the station over the next two hours, and booked tickets under multiple names of each. Thankfully, while he may not be excessively rich, he was rather well off, having had very little outgoings apart from his rent and utilities. Once he purchased all the tickets, he transferred all his remaining balance to the Sisters of Mercy, a shelter for children and young people who for whatever reason found themselves on board without family support or a safe place to sleep. It was run by a religious order, who were highly protective of children having the right to stay children. Even though it was illegal, and though he had fought with every fibre of his being to destroy all traces of it here, trafficking and sexual slavery was still a reality for anyone who didn't have protection against it. Every time he put someone away for it, it seemed like another five took their place. Sometimes it was overwhelming just how deprived his own people could be.

There was nothing worse then being trapped like that.

/I will never go back!/ he thought fiercely to himself.

Chris logged out of his accounts and closed the windows. He picked up his cooling coffee and walked past the bins on his way out, tossing his cred card into the bins along with some discarded napkins before walking out the door. He felt a moment of disorientation when he was back out on the walkway with people busily going about their business around him. He took a deep breath, squared his shoulders, and headed towards the market centre, where he knew there would be rolling crowds, and close to the ports.

There was a section of the walkway that was undergoing maintenance (and had been for months now. There were "contract issues".). Chris entered on his way to the market area, and he caught the eye of a group of approaching young Questionables that he had made semi-friendly contact with in the past, and who made a habit of loitering in this space. Sometimes he had even bought them food, extra than what they would have been rationed at the shelter. He inclined his head in passing, and they sent back some wild if good natured remarks that other officers could find insulting if they had been so inclined.

"That coffee?" The oldest of the group's keen nose had caught the scent, and his eyes were fixed upon the travel cup Chris was still holding.

"Yes." Chris replied, and he held it out as an offering. "No milk."

The teen's eyes narrowed, and his smile turned into a frown when his eyes raised from the coffee to Chris' own. The others all stood at attention, eyes darting about while their leader whisked the coffee out of Chris' hold and sat it on the curb at his feet. The leader quickly removed his jacket, followed by an extra jacket he was wearing under that one, and exchanged it for the one Chris had been carrying. He then replaced his original one on top. Another teen likewise took off his hat and handed over one that was under that one. Chris put them both on.

"Don't hold onto the jacket." He told the leader, who grinned back at him.

"Don't worry, Cheeno." The leader winked. "We'll give it a grand trip."

Chris snorted, a slight smile coming to his mouth. "I'm sure you will." and with another inclination of his head, he kept walking. The whole thing took only a few moments, nothing special, and since the exit to this area had no working monitoring system, who was to say which direction Chris took when he left it? That was a maintenance oversite that had the human ambassadors jumping up and down, and as a consequence actually sorted some of the "contract issues" out to the benefit of the workers.

(Insertlinebreakhere)

"What do you mean, none of them were him?"

The underling braced himself for the tirade he knew would follow, but responded. "All the seats were either empty, or the occupants had no idea who payed for their tickets, sir."

"And with the time that has now lapsed while we were wasting time searching all those transports and interviewing useless people, he could have jumped ship by other means and already be halfway to Titan by now!"

"Could he still be here, sir?"

"With how quickly he moved to cover his tracks, I seriously doubt it. Damn it! We need that treaty! Get me McMerideth. I don't care who you have to dig dirt up on and how many favours need to be pulled. Chris Spencer must be found!"

(To be continued...)


	5. Chapter 5

22/08/2013 - 04/03/2014

sorry it's a short chapter, but i wanted to post this before my computer crashed and i lost it all.

Unwillingly Aquired  
By Zuzanny  
Part 5

(InstertLineBreakHere)

Five years ago...

He was falling, he could feel it in the lurching of his stomach and the vertigo in his head that was so closely followed by nausea. The frantic beeping of alarms finally penetrated to his mind and he opened his eyes to see the approaching blue-green that was the planet below him. Far too close below. Not like it had been from outside atmo. The panic was so strong that he couldn't even gasp out his terror, only flay his arms and legs about in a bizarre looking attempt to slow his free fall - as though he would suddenly sprout wings, or grasp hold of a solid piece of the sky and cling to that.

Balls of fire streaked past him, raining down molten death on the planet below. He could still make out the twisted shards of metal among the pieces of his ship, burning red-white hot as there collided with the atmosphere during the entry.

He was able to stop spinning for a few moments to look back up through the outer most edges of the atmo and into space again, where his ship had just exploded. All the passengers were dead. He knew this, and sorrow over their wasted lives hit him in the heart just like a piece of shrapnel. Morbidly he wondered how many could have survived the initial explosion and vacuum of space, only to be burnt to ash as they hit the atmosphere? He could easily imagine their screams of absolute terror and agony, or was he really hearing them still? Was someone even now being roasted alive? He frantically turned his head about in a vain attempt to find them, but he couldn't tell what was what beyond wreckage. maybe it was HIM who was screaming after all? He brought his arms in front of himself to check and almost did scream when he saw the blackness, as though he already was charred remains, and his mind just hadn't left his corpse yet. He knew the moment he hit ground would be his last - if he wasn't blown apart in the wind before that.

"_feet," a voice sounded in his ears, which made him jerk with surprise. It then continued to count down. "_ minutes to impact." It was a pleasant voice really. A soft, masculine voice. Not really concerned that death was imminent. He realised it had been talking and counting down for quite some time now, he just hadn't noticed.

"I don't want to die." He breathed out, wondering if the owner of the voice could actually hear him, and wouldn't it be great if he could do something to fix the situation?

"Then you wont." The voice replied matter-of-factly, even while the alarm continued to blaze.

"How?" He asked. There was nothing he could use to slow his fall, and those mountain ranges were getting closer and closer.

"Your fear is interfering with the network, so you will be shut down. You are not to worry. I will reboot you once it's all over. Sleep now."

"No, wait!" He called out, filled now with a new terror, that he would now die sooner than before, even if it would be by seconds. If he closed his eyes now, he would never open them again!

But it was too late, he could feel the lethargy rolling through his body, and although he struggled, his eyes started to slide closed.

The last thing he saw was the planet's sun peeking around the edge, turning the fluffy clouds pinks and oranges and golds.

So beautiful, he thought. Then there was nothing.

(Insert Linebreakhere)A few days ago...

As soon as he heard where the delegates were coming from, Chris had demanded to be taken off the job. But the Boss refused.

"Sorry Spencer," he said. "We need someone there to translate, and you're the only one who can."

"Who told you that?" Chris' shriek rose an octave, then he shook his head and slammed his black-clad palms on the desk top. "No." He hissed. "I refuse!"

"I'm afraid this goes above me. And if you suddenly don't attend there will be consequences."

Chris' eyes narrowed. "I don't care. I'd rather die than be near them."

The Boss saw the seriousness in Chris' expression and frowned. "Why?" He drew the question out. "What is it about them that you have a problem with? I didn't know you to be xenophobic." In fact he had overheard Chris chastising some of his fellow agents for jokingly referring to them as 'smelly' and 'stink breaths'. "Besides, why did you register for the position if you feel so strongly about it?"

"I DIDN'T register!" Chris yelled at the ceiling.

"Well, somehow your name was listed. Are you telling me someone deliberately miss-logged this?"

"They must have."

"But you CAN understand and speak the language?"

Chris froze, his face going quite pale. "I didn't say that."

The Boss leaned forward. "Please, Chris. Our people need the resources the Kusai are offering. People could die if there are misunderstandings during the negotiations. CHILDREN could die."

Chris flinched at that, and he glared accusingly at The Boss. "Dirty tactics."

"You don't even have to talk to anyone. Just listen incase they say they plan on double crossing us."

"No. There are plenty of others who would gladly take this job. Use them."

"You are worth ten of these agents, and you know it."

"No."

"Children, Chris. Poor, innocent, sick, starving children. Think of them."

Chris' expression turned deadly, his eyes glittered with an inner fire that the boss actually smiled inwardly to see. He knew Chris Spencer had been hiding for all these years, and now here he was, raw and hurting and dangerous. The Boss waited calmly for the agent to explode with cursing and violence - perhaps a flipped table? Or to give an actual explanation to his refusal? But Chris remained tight lipped and controlled, the tension in his wiry build clearly visible for all to see, even under all the layers of uniform. After a few moments of glaring death wish, Christ just spun and stormed out of the office, slamming the boss's door behind him Hard enough to rattle the walls. All eyes were suddenly in their direction, but Chris ignored them and stalked down the hall towards the break room, skipping sets of stairs as he went.

Sargent Green knocked on the boss's door and entered once called. "Want me to go chase him down, boss?"

The boss shook his head, a wry smile on his lips. "He'll be back." He knew Chris wouldn't be able to stop thinking about all those poor, innocent, starving kids. Even if there really weren't any.

to be continued...


	6. Chapter 6

04/04/14- 23/08/14

Unwillingly Aquired

By Zuzanny

Part 6

(insertLinebreakHere)

Connor McMerideth could feel a head ache coming on. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose in an attempt to relieve the tension. The young man sitting across the table in front of him just smiled blandly, with his eyes slowly tracking back and forth across the room (Connor later said the young man sat SMUGLY, but the others he was with who were watching through the one way mirror saw only a bored young man of questionable work status). Threats to deport him back Home World if he refused to cooperate were useless. The young man grinned perfectly white teeth at that, and said nothing. Threats to keep him locked up on board indefinitely, likewise met with barely a blink. If Connor had not heard this young man state his name several hours earlier, he would have thought he was unable to speak... Or didn't speak human.

Finally Connor had enough and left the room to confer with his colleagues. "I say we just space him." He uttered to himself. Unfortunately Tilly O'dell heard him.

"We can't do that. His record has come up absolutely clean. Likewise, perfect health for the last three years. He lives at the shelter, works scrounging, recycling, and doing odd jobs for the sisters."

"Could someone have hacked his record? He looks like a junkie to me."

She snorted at that. "They would need someone incredibly digliterate for that. He and his crew are common space rats. I doubt they can even read beyond basic level, no way they can crack code."

"Especially using the outdated hardware at the shelter." Added Ben Small. "Their tech is so out dated it's back in the FOPTICS ages!"

"What about Netcaf tech? That is usually advanced."

"Not enough." Ben said. "Citizen records are sealed from access outside the Gov Net. But... Agent Spencer could have had authorisation to access being a Guard..."

Connor looked thoughtful for a few moments. "All his crew are clean?"

"According to these records, yes." Tilly replied, glancing down to her data pad.

Connor continued to think for a few moments, tapping his chin. Then he went back into the tiny room with their questionable. Instead of demanding answers like he had been doing, Connor sat quietly opposite the young man. "I'm sorry you have been dragged into all this." Connor said as sincerely as possible. "But we need to find Agent Spencer as soon as possible. You see, we have just finished one war, and his presence is requested by these guys who say they want to be our allies, but wont be if we don't deliver agent spencer into their care. He is very important to them, and we are worried that he may have been kidnapped by some group trying to restart the war again."

The young man blinked, then snorted. Then he started giggling.

"Where did you get the com unit?" Connor asked again, trying not to grind his teeth this time.

"War!" The young man's giggling turned to laughter that raised in level until it became disturbingly crazed. "War!" His eyes flashed in the light, reflecting craziness. "War!" Connor's skin started to tingle, and the hair on the back of his neck stood on end when the young man started pounding the table top with clenched fists, chanting "War! War! War! War! War!" over and over again getting louder and louder.

Connor slowly stood, while the young man't eyes continued to track him, gleaming with something... Evil... Yelling and drumming the table top long after Connor had left the room and locked the door behind him. He had just locked the door, when the young man threw himself against the mirrored wall yelling out "WAR!" To the shock of all behind the safety of the wall, before he started giggling again, and seated himself calmly back at the table.

Connor turned wide eyes to his comrades. "What the fuck was THAT?"

(InsertLineBreakHere)

Kazashi remembered the first time his daughter had come into work. His wife, Miko, was in the medcentre with complications to do with her latest pregnancy, so with The Boss' permission, little Ayame came into the office with him. She looked so adorable with her hooded jacket and her bright yellow sunflower backpack, and her stuffed rabbit Moo clutched tightly to her chest. Ayame was a quiet and serious child, rarely smiling with more than just a small tilt to her mouth, or showing affection towards anyone outside her family. She was very advanced in her reading, writing and mathematics skills, but didn't have any desire to seek out playmates her own age. (People often commented that she had old eyes, and they found her unnerving. Frankly sometimes he did as well, but he would never say that out loud.). So he was expecting her to be staying by his side at all times working on her schooling. Sometime around lunch time he had needed to step out to perform a standard interview of a suspect and had asked Spenser to watch her. He had tilted his head to the side, his mouth in a thin, quizzical line as he considered. "Are you sure?" He asked. Kazashi nodded, and watched as Spencer smiled and squatted down beside the chair Ayame was sitting in to introduce himself.

"Hello Miss Ayame. My name is Chris Spencer. Is it alright with you to accompany me while your dad is busy today?"

Ayame's eyes peered up and deeply into Chris' for some moments, her expression very serious. Then Kazashi almost fell over in shock when her face lit up with the most beautiful smile he had ever seen. "Of course Mister Chris." She replied with the moniker that she would not stop using when ever referring to him. "Thank you very much for your kind consideration." Spencer of course didn't know the significance of all this. Kazashi didn't tell him. But when ever Ayame needed to come into work, she barely spared her own father a glance, and would always go hang out with Spencer instead. When he broached the subject with his daughter, she just blinked those serious, older-than-they-should-be eyes up at him and said, "He is a Good man."

Kazashi believed her.

This morning when he got up, Ayame was already up and packing a lunch. It was rather large actually, for such a small girl. And it wasn't the first time either. She had been making her lunch like this for the last few days. Did she even eat it all? Did she give it to friends? What friends?

"Good morning, Father." She looked up, pausing her work on her food prep, and moved to start making him some tea instead. She tilted her head to the side slightly, frowning in consideration. "What is wrong?"

He blinked at her, once again taken off guard. But he knew better than to deny it. "There has been a situation at work. Chris isn't sick. He has gone missing, and we need to find him so he can help this deal to go through."

She didn't say anything for a moment, then "No, father. They WANT him. There is a difference." She handed the cup of steaming tea to him which he took with thanks before he sipped from it.

"What do you mean? He's apparently the only one who can speak their language."

She tilted her head again. "And how could that be?"

Kazashi really had no idea how that would have happened. He was still kind of in awe that it was confirmed that Spencer had been a fighter pilot after all, let alone anything else.

"Father," Ayame was suddenly right before him. "Is it right for people to be negotiated away as commodities? To be sold as slaves or live stock for the pleasure of others?"

"Of course not! How would you even know about that sort of thing anyway?"

She just raid an eye brow that told him he was an idiot. "What if it was the difference between my survival, or my death? Is it justified then?"

Kazashi sprung out of his seat and knelt before her. "It is NEVER justified!" He growled, remembering all the children and women and even some men he had help rescue over the years. "There is always another way. I would never willingly let someone else be treated like that. If it meant the difference in your life or death, I would hand myself over first."

She peered deep into his eyes for some moments, before placing a hand on is shoulder, giving a gentle squeeze. "Come with me to the park today."

(InsertlinebreakHere)

Ambassador Zoaxll lounged in the finest suite these humans could provide, with their volumeous curtains, and their soft matrices and couches... He barely noticed anything around him, he was busy contemplating the blades on his gloves, wiggling his fingers and watching the light dance around the points. He smiled as he remembered his mate, returning once again to the first day they had met.

Zoaxll had been quite shocked at the soft, pale skin hidden beneath The Angel's armour, so shocked that he had reached out to touch to The Angel's upper arm to make sure it was real and forgot to take his gloves off. The smell of IRON filled his senses as his blades slashed through pale skin like it was nothing, and the blood. Oh, the blood. Glorious and RED and full of IRON. The Angel had made a pained noise when he was cut, but otherwise insensate as he was, did nothing to pull away. The children were no longer present, so Zoaxll felt free to lean down and lap at that blood using long, eager swipes of his tongue. It was delicious! And there was so much of it! Zoaxll knew this was a sign from the Heavens. The Angel was meant to be his, and would be his. He could feel the desire building like a fire deep within him.

"You will be my mate." Zoaxll spoke to The Angel with certainty, before ducking his head to lap again at the flow that was now starting to slow down. The cut had really been small for such an amount of blood. He could feel his body tingling where the blood had touched, his lips, his tongue, his throat, his belly... "You will be my Queen."

Everyone knew that Iron only came from the Queens.

To be continued...


	7. Chapter 7

Unwillingly Aquired

By zuzanny

Part 7

(InsertLineBreakHere)

The matriarch of the Sisters of Mercy, Elizabeth Stronghold, sat opposite Connor McMerrideth with her hands peacefully folded on the table in front of her. The head scarf those of her order chose to wore did nothing to hide the vivid scars that ran down the right side if her face, neck, and disappeared under her brown robes. It was a miracle her eye actually still worked.

"Does my face distress you so?" She calmly asked him, her mouth twitching slightly in either amusement of derision.

"No, it's just that with current medical tech, those scars could be healed right up."

Her smile spread dangerously. "And in so doing, would hide the touch of the man who did this to me? The one who so lovingly took his blade to my skin to mark me as his property; to disfigure me so that no other would dare desire what was his and his alone? No, i don't think so. These i wear with pride, to show all who would, that damaging a body is not the same as damaging the soul; and those who dare try to sell or own another will face the wrath of all those who survived the ordeal." She blinked slowly. "Does that answer your question?"

Connor coughed with discomfort. "Yes. Thank you. Now. What can you tell me about Officer Spencer and his whereabouts?"

"That is what I have been trying to get across to all your people for the last few days. Our Order received a rather substantial financial donation from Officer Spencer on the same day he is reported to have gone missing. He has not been returning my messages. As i told the officers already, this is highly unusual. I am... Concerned.. that he may have done something to endanger his own life."

Connor could feel his head ache grow, and a twitch start in his eye. He could just imaging how the shit would hit the fan if Spencer really HAD offed himself. Of course the Kusai would not see it like that, and not only there would go the resources deal, but also another war could start. The only good thing he could think was that none of the bodies they had found over the last few days were his. "Why do you think he would do that?" Connor ground out.

Elizabeth lowered her eyes to the table top. "Not all of us can cope with the damage inflicted upon us. Some scars do in fact reach the soul. While i would liked to have believed otherwise, everyone does have a breaking point."

(InsertLineBreakHere)

The garden deck's blast shields were tinted so that it looked mid afternoon on a lovely spring day. Kazashi felt somewhat bemused as his eldest child gripped his hand tightly and tugged hard on his arm to drag him from the entrance way and along the pathway towards one of the many play grounds littered around in this sector of the deck. Ayame had never really shown any interest in playing in the park before, especially with any other children. It really was strange. But he wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth -so to speak- so he let her drag him along.

They walked some distance along the winding cobbled pathway with perfectly manicured layers of plant life on either side of them, before passing through a small grove of trees that the play ground had been hidden inside. There were several children already playing on the equipment, climbing, and chasing each other around. Some adults were also present, dressed in array of uniforms and casual wear, watching their little ones play from the benches they sat at bordering the play ground. Every now and then a jogger or two would pass by the playground, barely sparing the children a glance. A fluero yellow and white vested caretaker knelt at the shaded edge of the gardens at the other side of the play ground, focused on weeding and otherwise working amongst all the playing kids. Kazashi's eyes traveled over each person. None of them were carrying weapons, and as such were no threat to his child. He saw that the other adults were not quite so comfortable with him and his side arm that marked him as a guard. That was until they saw Ayame, and then they equally dismissed him and went back to observing their own children. Ayame dragged him to the park bench on the other side, closest to where the care taker was working, and daintily sat herself down there with her oversized lunch bag beside her. Kazashi lowered himself down to sit beside her while she watched the kids play.

"Do you want to go play?" Kazashi asked her, she turned her head towards him and snorted like he was an idiot.

"Not yet." She said instead, and started kicking her legs under the bench space. For quite a few moments Kazashi watched the kids playing, hearing them squeal and laugh in delight, and his heart felt just a little bit sad that Ayame wasn't like that. But then he noticed she was actually smiling slightly, and even humming to herself while she kicked her legs. The smile was like the one she wore when talking about Mister Chris.

"Don't you think it's strange?" She asked.

"What in particular?" This entire day was somewhat surreal for him.

"That Mister Chris isn't Partnered yet."

Yep, he knew he recognised that smile. "I think that's not really our business, sweetie. The work we do as Guards is very hard and dangerous, and not everyone can cope with that."

"You can."

"I mean, our partners. Your mother is an amazingly understanding and strong woman. I know that if i were to die tomorrow, she would be able to stand and take care of you lot, and go one with life without me. Not everyone is amazing as she is."

"She would miss you if you died though." Ayame pouted.

"I would hope so." Kazashi said dryly.

"I would miss you too. I think Chou may be too young right now for it to be an issue."

"I don't plan on dying anytime soon."

"Good." Ayame said sternly, with a nod to her head. "But it's still strange. I don't like Mister Chris being so sad all the time."

Kazashi leaned in close to whisper to her, "Why are we here?"

Ayame just smiled brightly and hugged him tightly around his neck. "I love you daddy!" She said, then jumped off the bench to run squealing around the play equipment, laughing with the other kids, and joining in their games. Kazashi stared dumbfounded, his mouth fallen open. For the next few hours he only had eyes for his beautiful girl with the dazzling smile and musical laughter while she played and played and played before she finally had enough and dragged him back home.

It wasn't until much later that he realised they had left the lunch bag behind on the bench. When he went back for it later, the bag was still there with most of the contents... But the whole fruits and bottled water were gone. At first he thought it was strange, but then he brushed it off thinking they must have eaten something after all and he had just been too busy to remember it.

(InsertLinebreakHere)

5 years ago...

Chris opened his eyes with some struggle, and groaned as he rolled over onto his side away from the sunlight streaming in through the hole in the wall that was about the size of a wall of his rooms back Home World. It was vibrant, sky blue out there, and Chris hoped that meant it was actually sky and not that he was under water. He didn't feel any of the air pressure or hear the low frequency thrums he associated with being enclosed like that, so a submarine seemed rather unlikely. Same went for air craft. He shifted his focus from the hole in the wall to the actual wall its self. It glinted slightly in the sunlight, like with was coated in glitter or was wet, and had a strange rounding to it, like he was in come kind if tunnel that had been scooped out with circular tools. The surface he was lying on was very comfortable and warm, even though he was on the floor level and only covered with with a very thin material. It was very soft when he rubbed it between his fingers. It also glinted in the sunlight.

The sound of movement had Chris turning his head. A very tall native of this planet stood staring intently at him. He was carrying some containers which may have had food or medicine or who knows what in them. From what the kids had told him, this guy was dressed in the garb of a servant, although the bright colours suggested that he was in a position of power or authority. Neutral tones were usually signs of the underclass here, leaving the royalty and others in power in vibrancy. "Like the leaves of the trees and the flowers on their tips", one of the kids - he couldn't remember which one- had explained to him. This guy just blinked down at Chris for a few moments before slowly lowering what he was carrying to the floor and scurrying out.

Chris pushed himself to sit up, wincing as his ribs protested, but it wasn't too bad all things considering. Looking down at himself, he could see some fading bruises trailing down his side, but no other signs of injury beyond that.

"Phill? You there?" He tried to connect to The Network, but there was nothing responding. His status showed low energy, most of which was either diverted to healing (which was barely making headway. It seemed almost stuck in a loop, which was worrying), or language. There was no point even attempting to realign the armour right now, or trying to send a distress call. It wouldn't get past atmo anyway. He sighed, once again realising that he was stuck here and he may never make it home. He ran his hands through his hair before having a good stretch which made some of his joints pop. He slowly stood and gathered the shinny material around his waist, tying a knot to secure it.

There came the sound of voices talking hurriedly to themselves, and booted feet headed in this direction. Chris squared his shoulders and prepared himself for a possible attack. Instead that servant was back, being shushed by another one of the natives, who was dressed in vivid, iridescent blue and who locked eyes with Chris, smiling with delight. Taking slow steps, as though he expected Chris to run, this native approached until he was within arms reach. Chris just watched him. There was something vaguely familiar about him, but he was still struggling to tell the ones he knew apart to be frank.

"I am so glad to see you are awake." This one purred, then lay his heavy, warm hands upon Chris' shoulders. Chris gasped as he felt something, almost like electricity but without any pain, run through him from shoulders to his fingers and toes, then coil low in his belly. Chris wanted to pull away, but found he could do nothing but arch into the hand that then went around his lower back and pulled him against this other's body in a tight hug. "I have waited so long to meet you."

Chris didn't know what to say, except that having his face pressed against this guy's shoulder was starting to make it hard to breath, so he pushed against the guy's chest until the hug was relaxed slightly and he could breath again.

"Oh, forgive me," the guy said flashing a smile down at Chris and backing off enough to just be running his finger tips up and down Chris' arms in a way that left his skin tingling. "I am Prince Zoaxll-kallan-brrizzinteen of Yanyoolerra, Tossoneenreen, Foorr, Kuasi." He spoke with a roll in all his 'r's. "My subjects in the Yooleenreen provence told me you are called Koorisu. Correct?" The prince tilted his head to the side when he asked that. Chris just blinked mind buzzing all over the place and unable to settle on much of anything right that moment.

"Close enough." He said, and the prince beamed at him.

"Tell me, Koorisu, what brings you to Kusai? You are very different in appearance to all we have here, and those of the cursed demon T-nins." He spat the word. Chris recognised it from what the towns people had called his own enemies. "Although they usually leave our lands alone since we have nothing to interest them here."

Chris wondered just how much he really should and could say. So far the technology he had seen of this planet was no where near advanced enough to get him out of atmo, let alone back home, same with communications. Unless there was some major tech hidden away from the commoners (which was highly likely really. Come on, politics is politics is politics), the only way he was getting back home was if his own came looking for him. And if Phill was off line, then that would be even less of a likelihood. The healing was still running in a loop, and any energy charged was instantly being used, and he had no idea what to do about it apart from waiting. Chris would have to do his best to survive here. Once again it hit him that he would never be home again, that he would be alone here until he died, and that no one would know where his bones fell when the time came. This Prince Zoaxll could do what ever he wanted, and there would be no one to stop him. Prince Zoaxll could kill him, could torture him, could vivisect him, and there would be no escape. At the moment, the Prince at least found him interesting enough that hopefully he could at least finish healing before any torture actually commenced. Chris took in a shuddering breath, and hoped looking the Prince in the eyes wasn't considered a challenge or insulting or anything bad here.

"My name is Christopher Adrian Peter Spencer, 157th Terran Alliance Flight Force, number SH.0100.03011619.090539.0789. I formerly request sanctuary."

The Prince lowered his eye lids slightly, and smiled.

To be continued...


	8. Chapter 8

09/10/14 - 28/01/2016

Sorry this has taken me so long to finish. This past years have been incredibly hard on me. I have been working on this in between studies, work, and single parenting. I'm not quite sure what will happen next.

Also be aware that this chapter contains references to sexual assault.

Unwillingly Acquired

By zuzanny

Part 08

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In one of the centrally located public laundromats, a dryer of mixed clothes pinged that it's cycle was finished. A young man opened the dyer and pulled all the contents out into a basket, then poured them out onto the long folding table in the middle of the room. Beside this pile, other similar piles of clothes were being folded by a number of other young people. No one present made any comment about the hole that was slashed in the shoulder of one of the jackets they were dealing with. It just was folded and added to the pile just like everything else. No one commented on how that particular jacket left with someone other than who it came in with.

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All the vid screens around the station had their programs interrupted, which made many viewers angry and want to throw things at them. "The United Earth Forces' search for Mister Christopher Spencer continues." Came the pleasant, yet non-gender specific voice over. "This officer of the Guards, who has been missing for eight days now, was last seen entering level four market section by entrance five." The voice over said while showing a picture of Chris Spencer entering an area of the station that had no security monitoring at the time, then flashing to blurred images of young people who had been wearing baggy clothes and caps that hid their faces. "The authorities would like to talk to the young people who may have passed him in this entranceway, or witnesses who may know who these people are. There is great concerned about the welfare of Mister Christopher Spencer." The contact details were listed, then the programs resumed their normal play.

In a dark room, somewhere deep in the bowels of the station, a young man snorted at his viewer, then turned it off.

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Five years ago...

Chris had actually liked Prince Zoaxll. But... There was something just... Not quite right about him. Zoaxll made sure he had food and warm clothes, and showed him around the capital city as though Chris was here on a tour as an ambassador instead of as a refugee/prisoner. But...The way Zoaxll kept touching him was a bit...strange... And not exactly... Welcome. It was more like Zoaxll thought of him as a pet more than anything. Chris tolerated it. If Zoaxll thought of him as a pet then that was better than being pet food afterall. He had seen some of the wild animals, and he knew he would be easy prey at the moment with his armour down and stuck in the cycle it was in. That was also strange really. Even when he had... (He shuddered) "fallen", the armour had managed to pull him back together, which from the schematics he had accessed, really should not have been possible. So what was going on?

Ever since "the fall", the armour had protected his skin, but that didn't stop the brute force of being hit by something big and heavy, like those T-Nins. He frowned when he thought of them, glad he had managed to kill them all before they had done more than stomp on his chest a few times. His armour being caught in this healing cycle made Chris wonder if he really was alive any more after "the fall" and the messy smear he had thankfully not been awake long enough to participate in becoming. Maybe it was trying to restore some key element to his humanity, like his soul, and just couldn't because that was something beyond reproduction? He still couldn't access the network, but Phill had said his fear was interfering, so could that be it? Really? Despite the kind of horror and extreme sadness he was feeling about never being able to make it back home, he didn't think he was all that afraid right now.

Maybe something else was going on? What if Network Central had been taken out? No wonder no one was answering then.

Chris sighed, then purposefully drew in a deep, calming breath. He needed to focus on what to do now. What to do about Zoaxll.

Zoaxll seemed to spend all of his time with Chris. He was always smiling, always staring intently at Chris, always sitting really almost uncomfortably close. Shifting away didn't help, Zoaxll just followed, then found some reason to run his fingers over his arm, or hair, or back. Zoaxll didn't do it with anyone else, Chris had been watching for that. Zoaxll didn't wear his bladed gloves around anymore, which considering how vulnerable he was right now, Chris was thankful for. When asked why he was always so touchy, Zoaxll had just grinned and said he liked the feel of his skin. At least his hands were warm not freezing cold. And sometimes the long fingers running through his hair actually felt... Nice. So Chris tolerated it.

Zoaxll was happy to share basics of writing with him, so it wasn't like Chris had to just sit and be bored everyday. The Kusai actually had some pretty advanced technology, which had surprised Chris, considering he had been staying at a province that was virtually tech free. But he supposed that was similar to back home. The poor were poor and had to scrape by with what they could get. The rich and powerful had everything. Chris had been happy to swap writing with the Prince, and to try and compare writing systems. The Kusai tended to used base 32 number system apposed to base 10, which took Chris a bit to wrap his head around. Chris took copious notes about words and writing out his human phonetic pronunciation next to their kusai flowery scripting. He was pleased that Zoaxll did the same. Chris explained that the reason he could currently understand what was being said was because the Armour was acting as a translator, but because it was loosing power that sometime soon that may stop, so it was important that he learn as much as possible for just in case. The idea that Chris was stuck here forever seemed to please Zoaxll, if the smile that spread over his face when ever the subject came up was anything to go by, though he did try to make Chris physically comfortable. The doors were always left unlocked, and Chris was free to roam the huge building he was in. There were many long corridors with intricately carved and painted arches showing off plants and flowers and fruit, so many that Chris often found himself lost. He didn't often get to explore by himself though, because Zoaxll was always there.

After the first few days or so, there was no one else present. Zoaxll said he sent all the servants away "until the right time". Chris had no idea what the right time was, and Zoaxll would just grin and get evasive when asked. Chris hoped he wasn't being fattened up to be eaten. He had seen no evidence of Zoaxll or his people wanting to do so, but it was still there at the back of his mind all the time. After several disturbed nights with Chris waking up shaking after dreaming about finding himself tied to a dinner table surrounded by Kusai nobles with sharp eating implements in their hands, he confronted the Prince about it. Zoaxll had laughed in an incredulous way, and then drew him close in one of those overly-friendly hugs Chris was just starting to get used to.

"My Angel, I want you alive and well and always at my side." Zoaxll had breathed into his ear in a manner that made the hair all down Chris' neck stand up with tingles. "You are more valuable to me than the Three Kingdoms combined." Chris didn't understand what that meant, but it did reassure him... at first.

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Sargent Green grimaced at the smell as he knelt down beside the pile of rubbish that had been fished out after blocking one of the smaller sewer recycling plant pipes. Slapping on his gloves and using a set of tongs he peeled layers of fabric apart from other unpleasant items. The Life Support workers stood around anxiously watching him while Connor McMerrideth questioned their boss about what had happened. The churning turbines made hearing impossible, so everyone had to wear special head sets with microphones to be able to talk to each other. That also meant nothing down here was private.

"It's a Guard jacket." Green confirmed. "Looks like it would be Agent Spencer's. It's got the slash in the right spot. Won't be a hundred percent sure 'till it's processed." Green gingerly dropped the offensively smelling item into a large evidence bag and sealing it away before ripping his gloves off.

"How hard would it be to get out if one took a dive into there?" McMerrideth indicated to the churning mass of liquids in the stadium sized pool containing the hydroelectric turbine for this level of the station.

The Life Support boss shook his head. "In one piece? Damned near impossible. If your man ended up in there, it's lucky we even found his jacket intact. Normally it would be head-sized chunks coming through at the most. It would depend on what angle he hit the blades. Quick death, as far as they go."

"Hn." McMerrideth scowled. "It may be his jacket, but he was never here."

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"It has been confirmed," Connor McMerrideth said to the screen in front of him. "he's still wearing the body armour after all these years. And while there is a small possibility that he has jumped ship, my gut tells me he's still on board."

"Excellent." Said the man on the screen. "I have sent you a package that will help with tracking and neutralising the armour. It should be arriving shortly."

"Thank you sir. The locals have been outright infuriating with their uselessness."

"No, thank you, McMerrideth. Because of you our future as a species will be assured. And don't worry about the locals. I will deal with them."

"Sir," Connor asked just before signing off. "may I ask why the Kusaii want him so badly?"

The man on the other end snorted. "Of course you may ask. But frankly i don't give a damn, and neither should you."

"Yes sir. Goodnight sir."

The screen went blank and there was a light jingle from the door. A delivery person stood there with a small box package and signature board bearing the Official Seals. Connor nodded at the delivery person and pressed his thumb to the pad.

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Kazashi remembered the one time he had actually seen the rooms Chris Spencer lived in.

There had been a particularly nasty string of murders on board involving little kids. Kazashi still shuddered remembering that. But he had little kids at the time, so his reaction was expected. Chris', not so much. While everyone else went home at the end of the days to be with their families, Chris had stayed and worked. For several days he tirelessly investigated and tracked the clues, until on the third day he had an actual name to slap down on the boss' desk. The boss also had a sick pallor to his skin when looking over the case files, and quickly organised a warrant. They had managed to storm the guy's known haunts and found all sorts of cameras and equipment that were incriminating enough as it was. Then Chris found the little boy locked away in the large tool storage box, the perfect size for a coffin. Kazashi had always known that Chris was capable of holding his own in a fight, but he had always been calm and reasonable. Not this time, however. It took five agents to pull Chris off the perp to stop him from ripping the bastard's head off. The only thing that really saved the perp was the fact that the little boy was still alive and unharmed apart from from some bruises and abrasions, just terrified and very hungry.

Chris had faced the Boss afterwards completely unrepentant for his actions, and still wound up. He would only calm down around the little boy. Kazashi could see the dark smudges under Chris' eyes but had not really paid attention to it. When the boy's parents turned up to take him home, the boy clung to Chris tightly before running into his parents arms. Chris had stood at his desk and watched them through the windows like a hawk, while they had their concluding interview and paperwork and then finally the all clear to go home. The moment the door had closed behind them, Chris collapsed in his chair, and his head hit the desktop with a thunk that was hard enough to actually give him a slight concussion. In his typical fashion, Chris had refused to go be assessed in the med centre so the Boss had demanded that he at least be escourted home. Chris really hadn't liked the idea (which had made actually made Kazashi suspicious about what he may have been hiding there), but the Boss had put his foot down so Chris ended up leading the way.

Chris' rooms were in a separate section to the one Kazashi and most of the other Guards lived in, which actually surprised him at first. They ended up catching the monorail there instead of walking because Chris was listing to the side as he walked, and a few times Kazashi had to shake him awake. It took Kazashi threatening to heft him over his shoulder and cart him to the hospital for Chris to even say which stop to get off at.

Chris lived in a housing zone that was far cheaper to rent than the one Kazashi lived in (which was also in the same zone as work), and Kazashi wondered if Chris really traveled to and from work each day, or just slept in the work lounge. He was always there before everyone else got to work, and stayed later than they had all left. Kazashi also knew that he wasn't the only one who had invited Chris socialising outside work hours and was rebuffed. Some of the other workmates were a tad more persistent and demanding than he was, but Chris would always refuse. Some times more forcefully than others.

Kazashi helped Chris out of their stop and guided him along the walk ways towards Chris' rooms up several stories in a run down apartment complex. Kazashi wondered how Chris could possibly safely and securely live in such a location. It was obviously crawling with Questionables, and everyone knew how they were all prone to violence and criminality. He was surprised when they finally made it to the front door and found no way of unlocking it. No handle, no electronic lock, just a blank plate for a door. When Kazashi asked for the keys, Chris gave him a blank look, then slid down the wall next to the door and closed his eyes. Kazashi tried to find some way of forcing the door to open.

"You won't be able to open it." A neighbour commented, their head just out past their door on the opposite wall. Kazashi raised an eye brow at the... old lady? It was hard to tell under the layers of material that was wrapped around the person. They were little more than a face peering out from a pile of blankets. The... lady gave him a toothless smile. "Many around here's tried. None got in. Those that tried be dealt with harshly. Only he can. We been wondering where he's been lately." Her eyes trailed down to Chris, and she frowned. "Have he been shot? You shot him? Coz if you did these neighbours be really pissed at you."

"No Ma'am." Kazashi replied politely. "He's just been... really busy at work... and..." Kazashi tried to think of what to say to this person, not sure what would be a breach of Chris' confidentiality. "is... tired?"

She sighed, and stepped out of her rooms, the blankets wrapped so much around her that she looked like a ball of fabric with bare skinny legs wearing slippers. "So you finally caught that bastard." She said. "We saw it on the news." She shuffled over and stretched one bony arm out of her ball to lightly brush her fingertips over Chris' hair. Chris' woke with a cry, jerking his head back with a thunk against the wall. He curled up over his knees, groaning and clutching at his head. The old lady crouched in front of him and waited until he stopped groaning and squinting through his fingers at her.

"Oh. Hi Helga. Sorry."

"Migraine again, I see." She clucked her tongue at him in a scolding manner. "This guy's trying to get in your rooms." She inclined her head at Kazashi. "Want me to waste him for you?"

Chris blinked hard at her for a few moments before looking briefly at Kazashi before closing his eyes again. "No." Chris whispered. "He's... I trust him." Kazashi blinked in shock at that admission, wondering when that happened. Chris reached sideways and touched the door with the palm of his black-clad hand. Kazashi saw some lines of light spread away from his hand, then heard gears turning before the seal holding the door closed released. The old lady didn't even try to look inside while she was helping Chris to his feet for Kazashi to pull an arm around his shoulders as support.

"I think... I'm going to be sick." Chris groaned. Kazashi wasted no time dragging him through the door and into the room. Once the door closed behind them, Kazashi heard the gears turning again and the seal reform, and Chris lurched from his support running into the ensuit. The sound of vomiting soon followed. Kazashi flinched, trying not to follow in sympathy, and instead looking around. It was essentially a one room space, with a single bed- very neatly made and looking never slept in- a small kitchenette, and walls completely covered with hydroponics. Food plants of all sorts covered most of the space available, with vines and tendrils spreading into the air. Kazashi wandered amongst the plants, observing how the water ran and was recycled, and how the fluorescent lamps on timers provided the closest thing to sunlight available. There were even some fish in some of the tanks. But there were no pictures of family or friends, or even a pet any where. No sign of books or personal belongings. Kazashi resisted the urge to search through cupboards and drawers to see what secrets he could find, instead went over to the ensuit door and hovered there. He looked down at the very pale man kneeling in front of the toilet. Slowly Chris reached a shaking hand up to flush, then climbed to his feet and rinsed his mouth out at the hand basin. "sorry about that." He squinted up at Kazashi's reflection. "I think Mrs. Arnold was right about the mirgaine."

"Do you get them often? Boss said concussion."

"No. And not concussion. Hitting my head may have triggered it though."

"Do you have any meds for it?" Kazashi asked.

"No. I don't take meds. I suppose I best try to sleep it off."

"Yeah, I have heard humans tend to need this thing called sleep."

Chris snorted a short laugh. "Yeah. They do at that."

Kazashi hovered protectively in the doorway while Chris staggered to his bed and sat down on the edge of it. Holding his head in in hands and breathing slowly through his nose. "Do you want me to get some pain killers for you?" Kazashi asked quietly. "My wife gets migraines and the stuff she takes usually works pretty quickly."

Chris tensed, gritting his teeth, and glaring up at his workmate. "I. Don't. Take. Meds."

Kazashi put both hands up, palms towards Chris. "No problem man, just offering. If you want to suffer needlessly that's your right. Would you like me to get you a glass of water at least?" Chris' shoulders hunched up further at that. "No offence taken if you don't want. Just like I said before. Just offering."

Chris took a deep breath and slowly, purposefully, straightened himself up, rolling his shoulders back, and squinted across the room at Kazashi. "Thank you for the offer." He ground out. "But I can't take anything you offer." His eyes darted to the side and down. "I have to get it myself."

"How? You can barely stand right now. Are you going to crawl? What if you fall and really hurt yourself?"

Chris closed his eyes, breathing deeply, and stiffly said "I will have recovered sufficiently in about an hour."

"Great." Kazashi shrugged and crossed his arms, leaning against the door frame. "So in the mean time, I will still be here in case you need anything. You just curl up and sleep it off." Chris gave him a look that Kazashi could have considered poisonous, but chose to ignore. He had a duty of care to make sure that his workmate didn't die from a brain haemorrhage or something, even if he declared he was not concussed. Migraines were really nasty for his wife, and if Chris went through anything like what she went through he would be needing a lot of help.

Eventually Chris sighed again and actually laid down on top of his bed, watching Kazashi instead of closing his eyes.

"You have a cool set up here." Kazashi said, eyes wandering over all the plants again. "I don't think even the Life Support Crew have things this good. I suppose if I could grown my own, I would avoid the Caf as well. My kids would love this. It's so beautiful. We don't get to see enough green, you know?"

Chris made a small noise when kids were mentioned, which made Kazashi focus on him again. It looked like Chris wanted to say something, but kept stopping before actually starting. Kazashi wondered if Chris were about to tell him to get out, in fact he was surprised Chris hadn't actually told him to get out already.

"I can't- I have to- " Chris whispered, probably more to himself than to Kazashi. "Gardening... I... I..." He took in another deep breath, eyes focussing on Kazashi's. "During the war... I was... Held captive." Kazashi instantly straightened his posture, ears pricked to hear what Chris was saying. "I was... Drugged... A lot. And... Experimented on." Chris drew himself together into a tight ball as he spoke. "And... And... Lots of... Other things... Before I was rescued."

Kazashi swore under his breath and slowly lowered himself to sit on the floor.

"I don't... Remember... ALL... Of what he did to me, but..." Chris swallowed. "But now... I can't take meds... Or accept anything that someone else made... Just in case I... I end up back there. I can't end up back there!" There were actual tears in Chris' eyes. And a deep horror that Kazashi had seen too many in the eyes of vics they did manage to find alive. It made him sick that he had missed this. He had no idea. What kind of investigator was he to have missed this? "So i grow all my own food. Sometimes i can even swap fresh veg for information, you know?" Fresh veg was highly valuable nowadays, especially if there were seeds involved.

"Does the Boss know?" Kazashi asked.

"Not... Details. I'm good at my job. He doesn't ask too many questions."

Yeah. Kazashi thought. No bloody wonder. It explained his fussiness with food, with socialising, hell even his reactions to unexpected touch. Experiences like that can either break you or give you the extra drive to make sure no one else has to go through what you went through. And Agent Spencer was the best, damned hard working, most driven of the lot of them. Kazashi was in awe at Chris' abilities especially considering the stress he was constantly under, and so incredibly honoured that Chris would share this secret with him. "Sleep." Kazashi said firmly, making a decision. "I will guard your door. If you need anything I will get it for you, and I will have half of it first. I will cover your six. You will get through this. Anyone who tries to get you will have to come through me first."

Chris looked at him deep in the eyes for a good long moment before slumping in relief. "Thank you." He breathed, eyes closing and sleep claiming him.

Kazashi would keep his word, no matter what.

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Kazashi did not notice the sets of eyes watching him or his daughter while she played happily on the play ground for the third day in a row.

After all the children and adults had left, Zoaxll and his guard emerged from some shrubbery and stood in the middle of the play ground, gazing around in all directions.

Zoaxll breathed in deeply like he was smelling the most beautiful flower. "My Mate was here recently." He announced firmly. "I can still taste his scent."

"So he didn't leave the hive like they told us he did." Pondan said with a tinge of disgust in his voice. "Are they trying to mislead us?"

"No," Zoaxll breathed it out, still pondering the scents. "Not all hives are like ours, remember. 'Where the bird drops the seed is a mystery to the mother plant'." He quoted one of their proverbs.

Pondan huffed, but grudgingly accepted.

Zoaxll continued to smile. "Come. We will continue our search elsewhere."

He was about to sweep out of the area when there came a small musical sound from the little device the humans had given him.

Zoaxll blinked at the little metal thing that was flashing lights at him, before he figured out how to work it and a tiny picture of that human called Connor McMerrideth appeared on it. Zoaxll continued to blink at it while Pondan and Tonjil gathered close to peer over his shoulder.

"Greetings, Ambassador." McMerrideth's picture said. "I may have a solution to our... problem."

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"He has a THING for children." McMerrideth told the Ambassador Zoaxll and his... Group. "And I don't mean anything dirty about that. He has a psychological need to protect them. I suppose you could call it an over inflated paternal instinct. What ever. The point is that the key to getting to come out of hiding is to get the right bait."

"Are you suggesting we hurt a child?" Zoaxll frowned. "Because i suspect the treaty would be put at risk by those sorts of actions."

"No, no, of course not." McMerrideth quickly tried to cover over. "But areas where children go could be a good place to start searching."

Zoaxll remembered the scent lingering in the park. "I will keep that in mind."

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It was amazing how easy it was to hide in plain sight. People were easily fooled if you were able to act like you belonged. It took practice, of course, and Chris doubted his disguise would last all that longer before someone started to ask questions. He had thought his cover was blown days ago when he was actually approached and questioned by the Investigator from back Earthside. But the guy just took in his high visibility vest, and gardening gloves and slid his eyes away. Worker drones were often ignored by guys like this, who thought that anyone on a lower social ladder were worthless wastes of resources instead of acknowledging that the worker drones were usually the ones MAKING the resources.

Chris had given some spiel he had heard thousands of times before about how hundreds of people passed through the park every day, and he was sure the guy they were looking for would stand out and be noticeable, but really there were so many people he couldn't even recognise someone he met yesterday. So sorry. And what was your name again Agent? McMerrideth had impatiently given out his contacts and ordered him to message if he noticed anything, which he duly promised he would, before being dismissed like he was nothing.

Chris spent the rest of the day tending the gardens in the park, alternating between the urge to constantly look over his shoulder to make sure he was safe, and to giggle hysterically. He settled for smiling and humming while he weeded, and keeping an eye on the kids while they played. There were still occasionally shifty characters who could turn up and try to do something to the kids. If he saw them, he would deal with them.

When Kazashi and Ayame turned up the first time, he also thought the gig was up. But Kazashi was all eyes for Ayame while she played. Ayame, cheeky and amazing thing that she was, sent smiles and giggles to her dad that held him captivated and ignoring the one person out of place. Chris did his best to be unobtrusive, but smiled back when Ayame caught his eye and winked at him.

He put his head down and pulled more weeds, smiling some more. She knew he was there but wasn't going to tell. She even brought food items that he was safe to swipe while Kazashi wasn't looking. Bless her paws and claws.

But he knew this wouldn't last forever. There was only so long before people would start to notice his uniform was not being washed, or an actual worker came along and asked him what he was doing there. While water was not a problem, food would be an issue very soon. He slid through the opening of an unused water collection drain that had been hidden away amongst a thick grove of trees, and curled up to sleep on the pile of fallen leaves that had collected down there. He was very thankful that the station used a drip water system rather than there being any actual rain.

It was only his being down there that hid him from the searching eyes of the alien Ambassador Prince.

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Ayame walked home from the school district, as usual without any school mates with her. The other kids walked in groups, their own little cliques about fashion and whispers and games. She didn't mind. She didn't share their interests, and most likely never would.

"You carry the scent of my mate."

Ayame lifted her head and looked up as some shadows fell over her form. When she saw who it was towering over her she crossed her arms and glared. "Piss off."

Zoaxll snorted with amusement. "No."

"If you break his trust it will destroy his spirit, and you will lose him forever." She said matter-of-factly.

"I will keep that in mind, little one."

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They took her to the park, or rather picked her up and carried her while she protested as loudly and violently was a small child could while being restrained by bigger people. Eyes turned their way at her protests, but Zoaxll flashed them some kind of item that told them he had the authority to do what ever the hell he liked, and so they turned away from the situation again. Zoaxll thought it was no wonder there was such an issue with crime here. These people were like cattle, trained to ignore injustice and violence. His Mate deserved to be amongst people who would treasure him. These humans were worse than pond scum.

Zoaxll found an area of the park where there were no people (the ones who had been there all ran away when they saw him and his group coming), and stood Ayame firmly in place while she did her best to creatively curse him behind the hand over her mouth. His Mate's scent still lingered here. Zoaxll licked his lips with anticipation.

"KOORISU!" He called out. "I KNOW YOU'RE HERE! I HAVE A LITTLE FRIEND OF YOURS HERE. COME TO ME NOW BEFORE SOMETHING BAD HAPPENS!"

There was a rustling of movement through tree branches, and his Mate was standing there, glaring with those beautiful eyes.

"There you are." Zoaxll murmured.

Chris fell into a defencive stance as Zoaxll approached, strutting as he went, while his drones flanked Ayame, a posessive hand on her tiny shoulder. Zoaxll smiled his smarmy smile, eyes roving over his body, hungrily taking in the gardening uniform and high visibility vest Chris was wearing, before returning to his eyes where they stayed.

"They were right about you, my Angel." Zoaxll virtually purred.

"Let her go." Chris ordered as threateningly as possible considering he carried no weapons.

Zoaxll flashed his teeth. "Of course. But first take off your armour."

Chris glared more and clenched his teeth. "No."

Zoaxll shrugged. "Then i wont let this go." he looked down at Ayame with a curious tilt yo his head. "So... This child is FEMALE."

"LET HER GO!" Chris shrieked and flung himself at Zoaxll, punching out at that pointed face. Zoaxll laughed and danced out backwards just out of Chris' reach. Chris immediately pivoted and kicked out high at the face of one of those flanking Ayame instead. In a flash Zoaxll was there intercepting Chris' foot while the guards pulled Ayame further away. Zoaxll caught Chris' ankle in a vice-like grip with both hands, and yanked Chris towards himself. Instead of traveling forwards like Zoaxll had intended, Chris dropped to the ground pulling Zoaxll off balance and flipping him over and away, before swinging out with his other foot and sweeping one of Ayame's guards own legs out from under him. That guard hit the ground hard, destabilising the other guard. Ayame kicked the guard still holding her in the knee joint as hard as she could, and he let go of her with a screech of pain. Chris jumped to his feet, and grabbed hold ofAyame's arm to yank her out of the guards' reach, and then shoved her hard further away. "RUN!" He desperately yelled at her. "Get to your dad!"

Ayame locked eyes with him for a second that seemed to stretch and defy all logic, before normal time kicked back in and Chris was body tackled from behind by Zoaxll. He grunted as he hit the ground face first, with Zoaxll on his back and the alien guards piling to pin down his arms. Ayame screamed.

Chris stilled his struggles for a few moments to look at her once more. "GO!"

Ayame ran.

Chris struggled all through being turned onto his back and pinned again, but then he stilled, conserving his strength. Zoaxll straddled his waist, and all present panted heavily for a few moments. "You are caught, my Angel." Chris glared up at the triumphant alien, who leaned down close to growl out "Now. Take off your armour."

"It took all of you to pin me. No bloody way I'm taking it off."

Zoaxll leaned back gazing fondly down at the slender form glaring up at him, and very delicately began to run his fingertips over Chris' chest, caressing the shape of his muscles that the second skin and light layers of cloth did nothing to hide. Chris went quite pale and pulled at his captors again, his breath hitching and speeding up. "I know you can still feel my touch through this." Zoaxll slid his hands under the shirt Chris was wearing, and let his fingertips glide over his pectorals, feeling for the slightest bump that would be Chris' nipples and circling them. "Has anyone else tried to claim you as theirs while you were away from me?"

"Stop it!" Chris tried bucking his captors off, a hint of hysteria coming through his voice. "Don't touch me! Get OFF!"

"I want you to take your armour off." Zoaxll repeated as though talking to a small child, his hands slowly sliding lower and lower.

"NEVER!"

Zoaxll sighed deeply. "I really didn't want to do this to you my Angel, but you give me no other choice." Keeping one hand caressing Chris, Zoaxll reached around behind himself and came back with a thick, technological collar that made Chris' eyes widen with horror and his struggles restart in a frantic manner.

"NO! Don't, Zoaxll, don't. Don't DO this! PLEASE!" Chris thrashed his head around in an attempt to dislodge the collar, but even so, Zoaxll slid it around his neck and clicked it shut. Instantly Chris arched up, and a blood curdling scream tore from his throat. His back bent upwards, dislodging Zoaxll from his seat, and his neck arched back in an unhealthy angle. Everywhere the armour was visible turned from black to glowing red, while Chris continued to scream and contort like someone was bending all his limbs in the wrong direction. His Kusai captors all scrambled to their feet and backed away as they saw blood starting to stream from his nose, then eyes, then ears. The scent of iron being spilled, more than anything else, filled them with horror.

Then suddenly Chris fell silent and still, his body collapsing limply on the ground. Zoaxll cautiously approached and reached out to touch his mate, carefully smearing blood away from his eyes. The blue eyes were open, but empty of all awareness, and he was breathing shallow, short breaths. Every now and then his body would twitch like a creature that was well on it's way to dying but not quite there yet. The armour was gone, Zoaxll was glad for that, but now he was wondering at what price?

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Kazashi came skidding to a stop in the location Ayame had told him Chris had been attacked, the sound of Chris' distant tortured screams still echoing in his ears.

All that he found there was a smeared pool of blood.

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Five years ago...

Zoaxll approached his Royal Mother's throne, and bowed down low before her. "Arise, my child." She said, turning her vibrant eyes down to him, and smiling with fondness. "What is your news?"

"Mother," he said, barely containing his own grin. "I have found my mate, a Queen of my own."

"A Queen? How delightful! I could smell the bonding scent on you, but a Queen is most unexpected." She almost squealed, but she paused, tilting her head slightly as she considered him. "What is the problem?"

"Koorisu is alien to us. BUT! I know that children between us will be possible, i know it. I just need to induce a Cycle first."

Her happiness faded. "INDUCE a Cycle? Is this alien Queen still a child? Why are you seeking my blessing to do this? You know my opinion of such actions."

"Mother, Of course Koorisu is matured. I would never even consider this otherwise."

"Really? Why would you need to induce a Cycle?"

"Koorisu is... Different from us. But once i fully claim my mate, no one else will be able to. Koorisu has knowledge from beyond the stars, and may be able to help us. Did you know he defeated the djrondjrond unassisted? And he acted to defend the children of our citizens."

"'He'?" The Queen slowly rose to her feet, her wings swelling behind her in irritation. "How do you expect to induce a Cycle with a 'HE'? Are you so maddened by being mateless that you will pervert yourself in this way?"

Zoaxll ducked his head back down low in an attempt to pacify her, hiding his anger and hurt that she would imply perversion in him no matter what, but still determined to have his way. "Koorisu is different to us! His blood contains iron."

She gasped at that.

"I know a breeding will work! I know it!"

She narrowed her eyes. "Does this creature even know what you intend? Would He seek to rule in my stead?"

"No." It was firmly said. Let her take from it what she would.

She stepped away from her throne to pace while considering, her long jewelled draperies trailing behind her. "I greatly dislike this." She paused in front of a window where she looked out to observe her kingdom. "But with iron in the blood... I would meet this potential mate first." She said finally. "Then we will see what breeding is possible."

"Thank you Mother."

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Now...

Chris forced his eyes open to bright white stabbing light, the shot of adrenaline his panic gave helped him be able to do so. He cried out in horror to find himself strapped down into place with thick leather bindings buckling his arms and legs down. He resisted the urge to yank blindly at them, and pulled himself up enough to be able to look at himself. But he had to do that quickly because of the increased pounding in his head. He was no longer wearing his clothes, he had been dressed in a flimsy hospital gown. Even though the fabric was light, all over his skin he felt a throbbing, pricking, burning sensation where ever it touched him. He knew that his armour had been torn from him, and he was now completely helpless and exposed. He closed his eyes and tried to slow his breathing, his heart was speeding and he was beginning to feel quite faint.

Another shot of adrenaline hit him when the door suddenly opened. Then in the room at his feet stood a greying man in a business suit, running his eyes over Chris' form with a smile.

"Well hello, agent Christopher Adrian Peter Spencer, formally of 157th Terran Alliance Flight Force. I figured it was about time we meet face to face, before you are shipped off and never heard from again."

"Who are you?" Chris choked out, his hair standing on end as this man slowly extended a hand and walked forward, trailing that hand along Chris' body until the man stood just beside him.

"You should know who i am, Agent Spencer." The man said as though talking to a child. " you have spent the last few years creatively working to shut down my business dealings."

"Londstrand!" Chris did start to pull at his bonds then. "What do you want?"

Londstrand tisked at him, trailing a finger up and down Chris' arm, over the straps and down to bare fingers. Chris hissed and twitched at the now strange sensation of being touched. "I wanted to thank you for your efforts in saving billions of lives. Thanks to you the human race will continue to endure, and with the thanks of our Kusaii friends, we may even thrive. If the main stumbling block to my... Other operations is removed in this process, that is just a bonus."

"You're sick! You can't do this!"

"Oh yes i can. And i have." Londstand started lightly caressing Chris' cheek. "Quite frequently, as you already know." Chris turned his face away, trying to evade the touch. "Now, now, don't be like that. Let me sample the wares before they are gone for good." Londstand gripped his chin hard before invading Chris' mouth with his own. Chris jerked and shook, unable to shake the man off. Londstand pulled back, licking his lips, and grinning into Chris' glaring eyes. "Exquisite. Such fire. Such passion. I can see why he desires you so much."

"You bastard! Even if i'm not there the others will still bring you down!"

Londstand twittered with amusement over that. "Oh you are so adorable! What makes you think i don't own them already? Who do you think kept informing me of the witness locations, and the raid plans?"

"You're lying."

"Am i? Am i really?"

Chris could taste bile rising, and his heart sinking as doubt began to take hold.

"You know, your medical file is a fascinating one. I had no idea such a THING was possible." He placed a hand low on Chris' abdomen and began rubbing gentle circles there. "Is it really true? Shall we check?"

"What are you- Stop it! Stop it!" Chris yelled out, bucking about to try and stop Londstands' wandering hands, but that didn't stop Londstand from slipping a hand down under the hospital gown and exploring.

"What have we here?" Londstand whispered. Chris cried out as long fingers found a place that they weren't welcome. Londstand chuckled and licked tears from Chris' lashes. "Now now, my dear. Don't be so tense, it will only hurt you more. Tell me, was it the nano-tech, or the aliens? I know you weren't born this way." Londstand then removed those fingers from Chris' person and gave then a long suck. "You are delicious."

Chris wanted to vomit with disgust. "You are a freak."

"No, no, you have it wrong. You are the freak here. MISTER Spencer. Of course, there is a market for everyone. Especially people such as yourself."

"If there is a market for everyone, why didn't you offer yourself instead?!"

"I did. It wasn't me that they wanted. Now." Londstand took a step back away from Chris, taking in the flushed skin of his face with satisfaction. "I will leave you to enjoy your last few moments of freedom before your master comes in to claim what is his."

Chris swallowed, and tried to keep calm as he felt strange tingles and warmth spread from deep within himself. "Which drug is it?" He whispered, thinking over the many possibilities from what witnesses and victims had described in previous statements.

"Very good!" Londstand grinned at him. "I promised the Ambassador you would be quite receptive to his affections the next time he saw you. But... Well, lets just say, you know what I favour." With that, Londstand left Chris alone, struggling against his bonds and the way his body was reacting.

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Chris didn't know how much time had passed. He had tried yelling for help, but no had come. He could barely move his arms or legs from the humiliating spread angle they were strapped into. For now all he could do was try and force his body to be still and ignore the way the material against his skin sent little shocks of pleasure running through him with even the sight movement of his breath. He closed his eyes and concentrated on calming his racing heart. He knew that it was only a matter time before the drug would work its course, he just had to out last it.

He had to out last it.

Just breath and be still. Breath and be still. Breath and be still.

There was someone else in the room. Chris' eyes shot open and he cried out with a mix of lust and loathing at the alien Prince closing the door. Zoaxll inhaled deeply through his nose and hummed with satisfaction. "My Mate," Zoaxll purred, moving to crawl up the bed between Chris' spread legs. "How i have longed to smell you in heat again." Zoaxll turned his face towards Chris' thigh and rubbed his cheek against him there, inhaling deeply again and lifting the hospital gown that did nothing to his Chris' modesty.

"Don't! Don't!" Chris was shaking all over with the effort it took to deny anything this alien wanted from him. When Zoaxll dipped his head low between Chris' legs, Chris let out a shriek and arched up. "NO! Uhn! Stop it!"

"You're body is in heat and begging for my touch." Zoaxll crawled up to whisper into Chris' ear, lowering his body down to grind against Chris and make him gasp for breath. "Just like the Ambassador said." He ghosted his mouth over the juncture of his neck and shoulder, just under the collar that was still present, tasting the air around him. "Even if you are not currently fertile. Which is a pity. I long to fill you again."

"Please don't." Chris could barely whisper. "Please don't."

Zoaxll raised up on an elbow to look down on the eyes he had longed to see again for such a long time. He gently wiped away tears that spilled down Chris' cheek. "My mate is here, aroused, unable to escape, and desperate for release. Why shouldn't I take this opportunity?"

Chris arched away as far as he could. "Because it's not real!" He cried.

Zoaxll raised an eyebrow. "Oh? How so?" He gently ran his finger tips over the skin around Chris' mouth, enjoying the feel of hiserratic breaths.

"Because I've been drugged." Chris panted, again gritting his teeth and trying to breath and gain control over his own body. "You said yourself that I'm not currently fertile. Can a heat be a real heat without fertility?"

Zoaxll considered that for a few moments, then shrugged. "That may be so. But that still wont stop me from taking you here, so thoroughly, like your body wants me to, like i have dreamed about doing since you were stollen from me. Oh, you LIKE that idea!"

Chris took a few more shaky breaths through his teeth and squeezed his eyes closed. "I can't stop you, that's true. But I will never willingly be with you. You would have to keep me tied up forever, because the moment I'm free I'LL SLIT YOUR THROAT!" Chris lunged at the alien with his teeth, all intention to bite hard enough to rip flesh from bone. Zoaxll was fast enough to lean away before he was bitten, and gazed fondly down at the furious man under him, eyes wide and teeth bared like a dangerous wild animal.

"You are so beautiful." Zoaxll whispered with awe, then lay his head down upon Chris' chest to listen it his pounding heart. "Just rest. I have missed you so much. I have missed the feel of your skin against mine," he continued run his fingertips over Chris' skin. "the sound of your heart beat, your voice, your scent, your warmth."

Chris grunted as the Prince lay all his weight upon him but made no move to do more than that. Chris blinked in confusion, staring at the ceiling and again struggling to regain control over his body reactions.

"And our child greatly desires to meet you."?

"W-What?!"

To be continued...


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